18. Both of Us Kept Mum

Ba came to meet Bapu in Yerawada jail. The meeting was arranged in the presence of the jailor. Ba and Bapu were inquiring about each other when the jailor thought that the two pious souls be left alone so that they could talk freely. So he moved away from them and kept walking to and fro. After a while he came back smiling.

He asked Bapuji, "Have you finished talking?" Gandhiji exclaimed, "Talking? We inquired about each other in your presence, but we didn't utter a word after you left. The jailor asked, "Why?" Gandhiji told him, "You know the rules of the jail; the inmates cannot talk to the visitors in the absence of an officer. We inquired about each-other's well-being while you were here, but kept mum after you left."